Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Towering ambition – South Africa's largest city is famous for a spectacular skyline, featuring the two tallest buildings in Africa among a soaring range of skyscrapers.

The recently released book Up Up: Stories of Johannesburg's Highrises charts the rise of the towers from a construction boom in the mid-20th century, through a sharp decline around the end of Apartheid, to the chaotic metropolis of today. The book draws on a mix of archive and contemporary photos, and accounts from resident 'Joburgers.'

The story displays the ambition of the city, also known colloquially as eGoli ("Place of gold" in Zulu), but also the dark corners where the dream unraveled.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

High Finance – The 140-meter Absa Tower in downtown Johannesburg opened in 1970, when it was the second tallest building in the city.

Absa Bank was later incorporated into Barclays Africa, which still uses the building as its headquarters.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Don't look down – View from the Anstey's department store on the corner of Joubert and Jeppe streets.

The 20-floor building, which dates back to 1937, is the third store constructed by former mayor Norman Anstey's company, and the second is directly opposite.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

State of the art – Anstey's is renowned as one of the most striking examples of the art deco style of the time, built in the tradition of raised, curved ziggurats that originated in ancient Mesopotamia.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Brave new world – Construction of the Carlton Centre in 1973, on the site of the Carlton Hotel. The Centre was, and remains, the tallest skyscraper in Africa at 223 meters, and represented an ambitious step forward for the city.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Birds eye view – The 50-storey colossus includes shopping malls and offices for companies such as transport group Transnet, although it has struggled to maintain occupancy rates.

The center is also a popular tourist attraction, offering unrivaled views of the city.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Party over – The Carlton Hotel continued to operate within the Centre until it closed in 1998, having previously been a favorite of the rich and powerful, with guests including Hillary Clinton, Whitney Houston and Mick Jagger.

The once-thriving hotel is now abandoned and gathering dust, including the extravagant indoor pool (above).

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Chrysler house – One of the earliest and grandest of Johannesburg skyscrapers. The car showroom, built in 1938, occupies an entire city block.

The building is now being converted into housing and developers promise some of the lowest cost rental accommodation in the city.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Night and day – The 12-storey Diplomat Hotel had a reputation as a glamor spot during the 1970s, but is now better known as a hub of the vice industry, sometimes referred to as the 'House of the Rising Sun' of Johannesburg.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Trail blazer – The 60-meter Eskom Centre was the tallest skyscraper in the city when it was completed in 1955 as the headquarters of the Electricity Supply Commission.

The building still stands today but the company moved out over 20 years ago, declaring it inadequate for modern business needs.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Falling down – The Hillpoint Highbrow was one of the most ambitious developments, standing over 100-meters tall, and providing stylish accommodation for the city elite on top of a popular cinema.

The towers later fell into dilapidation as the surrounding area declined, and continues to suffer with high rates of crime and poverty.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Sunset – The twin towers of the Johannesburg Sun Hotel sustained a five-star rating from their opening in 1970 until the 1990s, when it was downgraded due to high crime rates in the surrounding downtown area.

The hotel closed its doors in 1998, and after several failed attempts at reopening, stands empty today.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Nobody home – Foyer of the Sun hotel after its abandonment.

There are plans to revive the site, although this will require massive investment at high risk.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Boom and bust – Built in 1976 at the height of developer confidence, the 173-meter Ponte City Apartments building was designed for a young and affluent class of owners.

But as the city declined during the 1980s, the tower was transformed into an urban slum that gained notoriety as a hub of prostitution, drug-dealing and violence.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Out of sight – The building was designed with a hollow core, into which residents discarded their trash. At one point, the garbage pile role to 14 stories high.

After discussions to convert the building into a prison were abandoned, the city redeveloped it as a block of expensive apartments, with 24-hour armed security.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Survivor – The Marble Towers have fared better since opening in 1973. The 32-floor skyscraper serves as the headquarters of Sanlam insurance, and is also referred to as the Sanlam Sentrum.

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Photos:Johannesburg: City of skyscrapers

Inside view – Art-deco style courtyard of the Marble Towers.

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Island of stability – The futuristic Standard Bank Centre, built from the top down in the heart of Johannesburg's financial district, was hailed as a great architectural achievement.

The 82-meter building opened in 1970 and remains occupied by the original tenants.

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South Africa's largest city is famous for a spectacular skyline, featuring the two tallest buildings in Africa among a soaring range of skyscrapers.